


Shelter Amidst the Rain

by authorizedfiction



Category: Naruto
Genre: Charasaku, Charasuke thoughts and feelings, Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Non-Massacre AU, Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, Romance, SasuSaku - Freeform, road to ninja AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:39:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27900130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/authorizedfiction/pseuds/authorizedfiction
Summary: Sasuke stares at the pink-haired girl nestled down on the grass, reading a book as she leaned against the tree bark, and ponders on how to tell her that he’s absolutely in love with her without him getting punched in the face. Road to Ninja AU. CharaSaku.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 22
Kudos: 134





	Shelter Amidst the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Here's to anyone who needs a pick me up these past few months.

**Shelter Amidst the Rain**

* * *

She was reading a heavy-looking textbook beneath the branches of a large tree that shielded her from the sunny sky. The side of her hair was tucked by her ear and her brows were scrunched up in concentration as she read. 

To any onlooker, she was just an ordinary girl completely absorbed in her reading material on a regular Friday afternoon.

To Sasuke Uchiha, she might as well have been the most captivating thing in existence.

Sasuke had been patrolling the streets when he saw her, the task itself was given to him by his father after his most recent scolding. 

Upon his return to the village, he reported to him immediately after his debriefing from the Hokage. He and the group of jounin he had led had been successful in completing their mission, however, it was not without casualties. A few of the men he led were injured and Sasuke’s father was not happy that people had suffered under his son’s leadership, to him it was his error and his mistake. Bringing the Uchiha family name and being the son of Fugaku Uchiha himself, Sasuke always felt inadequate in every aspect as he always felt like he had something to prove. Making his father happy or be proud of his accomplishments was a Herculean feat he still had yet to accomplish.

With a sigh, Sasuke turned towards another street corner and tucked all of his thoughts at the back of his mind. There was no room to be distracted in the life they led.

Seeing as there was nothing to report within the vicinity, he was just about to turn in and head back to the Uchiha district to inform them of negative irregularities until he saw a familiar head of pink underneath a large oak tree.

He could’ve just spared her a glance and left, that was what he intended to do, but his feet remained firmly in place against his better judgement.

Half of him was debating on talking to her, afterall he enjoyed their conversations. Her energy and flare towards his suggestive flirtations always gave him something to laugh about throughout his day— though the feel of her fist about to break the bones of his body was something he wanted to avoid entirely.

In times that he felt like this, she always offered the best distraction. He just didn’t know whether or not, it was worth the backlash.

A voice snapped him out of his reverie of thought.

“You’re supposed to be patrolling the streets, not staring at the Yondaime’s daughter.”

Itachi Uchiha, his older brother, walked towards him with his hands in his pockets. The scratches on his body and the ninja tools at his side told him that he had just got back from the training grounds.

“I was not staring,” Sasuke said defensively.

“You were practically drooling.”

He scoffed. “Whatever.”

“C’mon,” Itachi beckoned as he placed a hand on his shoulder, “you can stare at Haruno at your own time.”

Sasuke shrugged it off. “Seeing as it’s almost dusk, it already is my own time.”

The eldest sighed. “Just make sure you get back home in time for dinner lest you want father to be displeased once more.”

Itachi patted his back and made his way towards their home. “And by the way, it helps if you talk to her.”

As Itachi’s silent footsteps grew farther and farther, Sasuke frowned at the retreating back of his brother and thought of the idea of another one of their stoic family dinners. It really wasn’t something he was rushing to come back to, especially with his father’s disappointment still fresh and palpable within their manor.

His older brother’s last words had also struck a nerve.

His brother’s words were incredibly easy to say but absolutely hard to do. Sasuke had been trying to talk to Sakura Haruno for years, however, when it came to her in particular, his mind rarely ever functioned properly.

Sasuke was inlove with her. He knew this when they were fairly young, a ripe genin age with childish notions. It just so happened he only knew how to jibe, flirt, and piss her off. A major disadvantage towards his endeavors.

She was the Yondaime’s daughter, the smartest kunoichi in their class, the Godaime’s apprentice, plus the girl, though oblivious to her looks, was not oblivious to her knowledge and talent. She was beautiful, kind, caring, and everything that Sasuke ever wanted.

She was _the_ dream girl.

And he couldn’t help but be enamored and be sucked into her vortex of various idiosyncrasies.

Deciding that he owed himself some semblance of a small reward for his hard work, Sasuke shook his head and decided to approach her. To him talking to her was refreshing and for a while, he just wanted to breathe.

He stopped a few steps in front of her and tilted his head to the side.

“Anything interesting you’ve got there, Haruno?”

The girl looked up but quickly shielded her eyes as the sun's rays that illuminated behind him blinded her momentarily. She made a move to show him the cover of her book instead. 

“ _Medical Ninjutsu for Infective Microorganisms,_ ” Sasuke read then tsked. “It sounds boring.”

Sakura scoffed and flipped a page to read once more. “It sounds like something that could probably save your life someday.”

Sasuke sat down on the spot beside her, their shoulders touching. He leaned in trying to make out the words on the pages, however, her breath was so near his cheek that it made him flush. Her close proximity made it a thousand times more difficult to concentrate. He needed to relax and so he talked to her the only way he knew how.

“You make me live just by breathing, kitten.” He jibed.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the nickname, “I guess it’s time for me to hold my breath then.”

Sasuke grinned. “You know that means I take your breath away?”

“As in you’re suffocating?”

“As in I’m breathtaking, love.”

Sakura raised a brow and looked up from her book. She was about to give him a witty retort when he saw the boy sporting a far off look.

Sakura frowned at the sight. “What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think something’s wrong?” He said defensively.

“Are you saying that there isn’t?”

He shrugged, still not looking at her. “Not entirely.”

“Well, are you going to tell me?”

Sasuke shook his head. “Tell me how you do it.” 

“Do what?”

“Know me.”

Sakura gave him a peculiar look. “You usually look at me when you flirt with me because you enjoy seeing my reaction. Now you’re just pulling at grass and staring into the horizon, which means either I am completely boring you or that you’re not here to rile me up.” She shut her book closed and gave him her full attention. “So tell me Uchiha, what’s wrong?”

The corner of his lip twitched. “You could never be boring.”

The girl noticed his aversion to the topic for a third time and frowned at him concerned. “Sasuke,” she placed her hand atop his, “Is this about your family again?”

Closing his eyes, Sasuke leaned against the tree bark and intertwined their fingers hoping to cling to the softness of her touch— a small part of him was happy she wasn’t pulling away or even repulsed.

“Sakura, what do you think of me?” He muttered.

The girl only stared at him confused. “That’s a broad question. How do you want me to answer that?”

His eyes fluttered open as he turned to stare at her. “Do you think I’m...less? That I’m just a no good flirt? A subpar Uchiha? A... _spare_ for the prodigy?”

Sakura paused for a moment then shrugged. “Well, you _are_ a no good flirt. I’ll give you that.”

Sasuke’s heart plummeted and he released her hand. “Look I’ll just-“

Sakura’s eyes widened and she quickly grabbed onto him before he could stand. “Where do you think you’re going? Would you please listen to me first?”

Sasuke scoffed, “And hear you talk smack about me? No, thank you.”

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Who said I was going to bad mouth you? You didn’t let me finish!”

Sasuke raised a brow and returned to his position. “Well?”

Sakura bit her lip in hesitation, not quite knowing how much she needed to say. 

“Sasuke you were the top of the class in the Academy, remember? You made chunin on your first try? Jounin too? You summon humongous beasts and control lightning at your finger tips. You’re a great leader, a skilled shinobi, and an honorable comrade. When it comes to your family and the people you care about, your heart is always in the right place.”

The words rang clear in his ears but these were new to him coming from Sakura. His insecurity and vulnerability were overflowing it seems, and he wasn’t quite sure if he could accept what she was giving. But of course the girl wouldn’t have it, she drew him to her as he felt his chin being brought to the side in order for him to meet her eyes. 

What he saw there in her beautiful greens was fever, integrity, sincerity. 

“If you think you’re anything less than what you actually are, I want you to know that’s not true. You’re more than enough. _You are._ ” Her voice was earnest, firm, her eyes leaving him with no room for doubt,

For a moment, Sasuke was at a loss for words. Again and again, he’d be reminded of how much he was in love with her— how she was everything he could ever need. Little did she know how much he thought of her, little did she know how important she was in his small universe. For years he’d been trying to show her that wasn’t just a conquest, that she was the ultimate goal.

How would he get her to look his way? Would she even want to in the first place?

He started to wonder if this was his chance, that maybe he could tell her now and that it was his time.

He could say it now couldn’t he? He could say it now and she’d believe him?

“Sakura, I-“

His voice was interrupted by a loud booming thunder that made the both of them jump apart.

The girl stood up and reached her hand out of the tree's comforts. She touched the water splaying down from the sky and shook her head. “It poured so suddenly. It looks like we’re stuck here until the rain dies down.”

Sasuke blinked at her, the words following his confession left unsaid.

Sakura sat back down beside him, cradling the book on her lap once more. “You were saying something?”

Despite the weather rejecting his almost-confession he smiled at the girl. “I was going to say _‘Sakura, thank you.’_ A guy could get used to this you know? You complimenting me? Much preferable than your fist to my jaw.”

She smiled back and gave him a nudge with her shoulder. “Well, don’t get used to it. You might be insufferable but we’re friends right? Teammates? We’ll always have each other’s back.”

Sasuke smirked. “I always thought we were more than friends, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura glared at him. “I could hit you with this book.”

“Not if you still want to read it,” he said boredly. “Now scooch over.”

“Huh?”

The boy then comfortably placed his head on the crook of her shoulder and crossed his arms across his torso. He closed his eyes and nestled himself next to the girl who had all of his heart without knowing it.

Sakura stiffened and blushed despite herself. “You’re getting too comfortable, Uchiha.”

“I just got back from a mission and my father immediately told me to go on patrol. Let me rest, Haruno.”

She frowned. “Fine. But one wrong move and my fist lands on your nose. Got it?”

He sighed and adjusted himself closer. “Just stay still already.”

Sakura shook her head and opened her book once more. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Read to me.”

“It was a rhetorical question and you’re acting very very weird.”

“Your boring book will put me to sleep. You’re already reading. All you have to do is use your mouth,” he smirked.

Sakura glared. “If that’s another innuendo you can shove it up your-“

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head. “Just read.”

Sakura rolled her eyes but obliged nonetheless. She cleared her throat and read. “ _M. tuberculosis is most resistant to chemical agents because of its hydrophobic nature and their clumped growth…._ ”

As she continued, Sasuke couldn’t help but think about how her voice soothed him, how just being near her presence made his world a little bit better. 

To him, she would always be his shelter amidst the rain— a safe place, a warmth, a comfort. 

Someday he’d tell her how he felt. Someday he’d tell her that there was no one else.

* * *

_‘I’m in love with you’_

One day he’d tell her. One day he’d make her see.

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to give Charasuke a massive hug tbh. 
> 
> Anyways, it's December! My break starts on the seventeenth so after that I'll probably write more stuff since I've been deprived for so long, so there's more stuff coming soon. 'Til then I have medschool finals so wish me luck!
> 
> This is my first oneshot out of the humor genre so I'm kind of nervous about how it goes but I guess it's practice for me. Feedback would be nice!
> 
> \- Rex


End file.
